This invention relates to bicycle trainers, and more particularly to a stationary roller-type bicycle trainer having a resistance feature.
A roller-type bicycle trainer has a series of rollers that support the front and rear wheels of a bicycle. The user pedals the bicycle while maintaining the bicycle upright, to simulate the manner in which the bicycle is ridden outdoors. Typically, a single roller supports the front or non-driven wheel of the bicycle, and the rear or driven wheel of the bicycle is supported by a pair of rollers. The rear wheel rotates in response to operation of the bicycle pedals, which imparts rotation to the rollers with which the rear wheel is engaged. Rotation of one of the rear rollers is transferred to the front roller by means of a belt that extends between and is engaged with the rear roller and the front roller.
In a typical roller-type bicycle trainer, the only resistance to rotation of the bicycle wheels is provided by the friction of the rollers, which is minimal. The user is thus unable to increase the resistance beyond that which is provided by the friction of the rollers, and cannot vary the degree of resistance provided by the trainer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a roller-type bicycle trainer having a resistance feature, to increase the resistance provided by the roller-type bicycle trainer which thereby enables a user to intensify a workout by increasing the amount of energy required to rotate the rollers. It is a further object of the invention to provide a resistance feature for a roller-type bicycle trainer that is capable of providing varying levels of resistance. Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a roller-type bicycle trainer that operates in the same manner as in the prior art, while incorporating a resistance feature. A still further object of the invention is to provide such a roller-type bicycle trainer in which the general construction of the trainer is the same as in the prior art, while incorporating a resistance feature. A still further object of the invention is to provide such a roller-type trainer having a resistance feature that is relatively simple in its components, construction and operation, yet which is highly effective in providing resistance to operation of a bicycle supported by the trainer.
In accordance with the present invention, a roller-type bicycle trainer includes a frame, and a roller arrangement mounted to the frame that is engageable by the wheels of a bicycle, for rotatably supporting the bicycle wheels relative to the frame. At least one of the rollers of the roller arrangement includes electrically conductive material. A magnetic resistance arrangement includes one or more magnets that interact with the electrically conductive material, so as to induce an eddy current resistive force on the roller upon rotation of the roller, which resists rotation of the roller and thereby provides resistance to the user of the bicycle.
The electrically conductive material may be the material that forms the surface of the roller, and may be any satisfactory electrically conductive material such as aluminum.
The magnetic resistance arrangement may be in the form of a magnet mounting member that is interconnected with the frame of the roller, and is radially spaced outwardly from one of the rollers. The mounting member extends across the surface of the roller, and includes spaced apart magnets that are located radially outwardly from the surface of the roller. The mounting member is preferably interconnected with the frame of the roller-type trainer via an adjustment arrangement, by which the radial spacing of the mounting member relative to the surface of the roller can be adjusted, so as to vary the spacing of the magnets from the roller surface. The adjustability or variation in the spacing of the magnets from the roller surface functions to control the strength of the eddy current forces that are established upon rotation of the roller, to vary the degree of resistance provided by the magnets upon rotation of the roller.
The invention contemplates a roller-type trainer incorporating a resistance feature, as well as an improvement in a roller-type trainer and a method of resisting rotation of a roller in a roller-type trainer, substantially in accordance with the foregoing summary.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.